A Luxury Yacht or Plain Eccentric?

In the world of luxury yachts, there’s a fine line between outright eccentric and very luxurious. And often it’s hard to tell where this line exactly runs. As yacht designs move forward and shipyards offer newer and better solutions, one is often puzzled, wondering whether the latest development hasn’t gone over the top.

Remember ‘History Supreme’, the $4 billion yacht which supposedly was made out of 100K tons of gold and platinum, built for some mysterious Malaysian businessman? Well, it doesn’t exist, although people still tend to buy into it. And what’s more, I have the feeling it might not be long until someone seriously considers something similar. In the meantime, here are some real and upcoming yachts that have some very real gadgets, toys and perks somewhere along the line between eccentric and luxurious.

Yacht pools and what to fill them with...

Lürssen can’t keep still, can they? Not only do they now carry the title of builder of the biggest yacht in the world, the 180-metre long Azzam, but they have a whole fleet of exceptional vessels. And since Azzam is too big a bite for me to chew, I thought I’d just talk about the ‘modest’ Quatroelle. Fancy a gymnasium designed by Usain Bolt, a helicopter pad or a hairdressing salon on board a yacht? Quatroelle’s got it.

But what’s more impressive, in my opinion, is the huge open-air infinity swimming pool which appears to drop off directly into the ocean. of course, Quatroelle’s not revolutionizing the concept of pools on yachts but she’s a beautiful example. On a side note, this reminds me of a story we were once told by a woman who works for a partnering catering company for Bluewater. She said that the biggest operation she had participated in was: “a Saint Tropezienne party with enough champagne to fill the pool!”

It’s controversial but while we’re talking pools and eccentricity, did you know that Qaddafi’s son actually had ordered a luxury cruise liner which was to have a 120-ton aquarium with 6 sharks as the ship’s centerpiece? Well, ok, not a pool but certainly over the top.

Australian billionaire Clive Palmer made headlines earlier this year when he announced his intention to order a replica of the Titanic to be made – the Titanic II. Not simply a replica but a real-life, cruise ship. One that would ‘walk and talk’ like the real one.

Though it will look like the original, it will, of course, feature all the latest in technology and safety equipment. According to sources, the construction of the ship will begin in 2014 and should be ready by 2016, although that remains to be seen.

In other news, a Titanic replica may not even be as impressive as another new, interesting and even eccentric trend in yachting. It seems that, in the near future, more and more megayachts may come equipped with a support yacht. A support yacht to carry all the owner’s toys, in case they don’t fit on board the yacht itself.

Amels SEA AXE 6711 is one such support yacht and a few have already been sold. Furthermore, freeing up space on the yacht will create more room for designers and builders to unleash their genius and offer even more amenities.

As the recent Monaco Yacht Show demonstrated, there is an ever increasing interest on the part of yacht owners in yacht toys – tenders, catamarans, helicopters and so forth.

Oh yes, and then there are the submarines. Some of which we’ve featured before, such as Richard Branson’s submersible, the Necker Nymph. But Trinity Yachts’ Ulysses also has one and it can accommodate up to five persons. And why not have a private luxury submarine, instead of a luxury yacht? Or rather, a yacht which is a submarine… a yachtmarine. Otherwise called, the ‘Migaloo’, this 115-metre submersible yacht concept was designed by ‘Motion Code: Blue‘ as the ultimate toy for those who have grown tired of a regular yacht.

So here’s what we’re left with: a Titanic replica submersible yacht which has an infinity pool that can be filled with champagne (or half a dozen sharks). Additionally, there’s another yacht which comes along with it, carrying a helicopter or two, tenders and further submersibles. And, of course, they’re both made out of pure gold. Oh, sorry, I think I just crossed the line between eccentric and luxurious.

See more of Ivan's blogs on the Bluewater blog.

*Images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, facebook, szeke via Flickr (CC 2.0) and Motion Code Blue

More about Ivan Petkov:  Over the years I’ve lived in various places - from Germany to Finland, to Bulgaria and Denmark, and have also traveled extensively. This has developed in me a keen love for moving, visiting and exploring new places. I enjoy hiking, sailing and traveling by sea, swimming, martial arts and all sorts of physical activities. I am deeply concerned about environmental issues and sustainable living, specifically those related to the preservation of the oceans and their inhabitants.